"My stomach hurts," "I feel dizzy," "can I stay home?" - many parents hear this again and again. Sometimes behind the reluctance to go to school are not laziness or personality traits, but real problems that the child cannot solve on their own.
Why does a child actually not want to go to school?
- Conflict with the teacher. Difficult relationships with a teacher are one of the common reasons. The child is afraid, embarrassed, or angry, but remains silent.
- Bullying by peers. Insults, mockery, ignoring - school becomes a place of pain, not knowledge.
- Chronic academic failure. The child doesn't understand the subject, gets bad grades, feels ashamed. It's easier to get sick than to go to the blackboard.
- Complete loss of energy. Clubs, tutors, sports sections, a 24/7 schedule. The child is simply burned out.
- Fear of exposure. They did something serious (cheated, broke something, lied) and are now panicking about going to school.
- Family situation. Strange but true: if things are troubled at home (arguments, divorce, illness of loved ones), the child unconsciously "draws" parental attention through illness or truancy.
What to do? Don't turn a blind eye, don't yell, but figure it out.
- Talk calmly. Not from the doorstep, but in a trusting environment. Say: "I'm here for you, we'll solve this together."
- Support and give confidence. The child must know they are not alone.
- Go to the teacher or school psychologist. If the problem is in the classroom, solve it with those who can influence the situation.
- Fix the academic problem. Hire a tutor, help understand the topic, explain it.
- Slow down the pace. If the child is tired, cancel non-essential activities, establish a sleep and rest routine. School shouldn't be a survival race.
- If nothing helps, change schools or classes. This is not a defeat. This is a choice for your child's health.
Your task is to show that you are there. To teach them to fight rather than escape into illness. But it is also important not to give in to manipulation. Sometimes a "stomach ache" comes from fear, and sometimes it's a real migraine or a autonomic crisis. A fine line is needed here.
If you feel that your child is truly suffering and not just being capricious, do not hesitate to contact a child psychologist or neurologist. Sometimes behind school problems lie anxiety, neurosis, or even somatic disorders.